Dhanmondi club chief gunned downDhanmondi Sporting Club President Khairul Anwar Piaru was killed in a hail of bullets outside the club last night apparently over a leadership dispute.

Grenade attack on Khulna mayorIt was a close shave for Khulna City Mayor Shaikh Tayebur Rahman yesterday, as a hand grenade thrown at his car in an assassination bid did not explode in the southwest industrial city dubbed as the valley

Protest rages, writers hold programme todayThe wave of protest continued to swell across the country yesterday against Friday's gory attack on writer Humayun Azad, with demonstrators voicing demand for the government and the home minister to step

When elected leaders act like despotsUnder what law and under what right was Sheikh Hasina stopped inside Dhaka Cantonment and prevented from driving on in her car? She is not only the leader of the opposition, in which capacity she enjoys

Prof Azad still unconsciousProminent writer Prof Humayun Azad was yet to break his anaesthesia-induced unconsciousness two days into a life-threatening machete attack on him, but officials claimed he drifted back to consciousness

Hasina for neutral people's probeLeader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina yesterday accused the cadres of ruling-coalition partner Jamaat-e-Islami for the attack on prominent writer Humayun Azad, saying the freethinker drew the wrath of

Case filed against Hasina, othersA case was filed against Awami League President Sheikh Hasina and two opposition whips Faruq Khan and Mirza Azam with Cantonment Police Station accusing them of violating army rules and assaulting army

Shun violent agitationPrime Minister Khaleda Zia yesterday called upon the opposition Awami League to follow a democratic and peaceful course of politics shunning violent and destructive street agitation.

2 percentage points of GDP lost in graftCorruption is holding back economic progress and eating away no less than two percentage points of Bangladesh's GDP growth, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Moudud Ahmed told a seminaryesterday.

6 civil surgeon offices rip off Tk 6crThe Public Accounts Committee (Pac) yesterday pointed out corruption in purchase of equipment at five civil surgeon's offices under the health ministry that cost the state Tk 6 crore in loses.

Outlaws slaughter four in PabnaA gang of outlaws slaughtered four youths at Ataikula while miscreants shot dead a housewife at Sadar upazila in Pabna last Saturday.

Alliance candidate heads for victoryReza Ahmed alias Bacchu Molla, ruling BNP candidate, is heading for a landslide victory in the by-election to Daulatpur constituency that fell vacant at the death of his father.

India goes to polls from April 20India is going to the polls on a four-phase schedule starting from April 20 and ending on May 10 this year, Chief Election Commissioner T S Krishnamurthy announced it at a news conference yesterday.

Pakistan in finalPakistan won the 'battle of Asia' when they handed arch-rivals India a five-wicket defeat in the first semifinal of the ICC U-19 World Cup at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

Saifur censures IMF for 'double standard'Finance Minister Saifur Rahman yesterday deflated an IMF mission for having double standard as it vented concern over price spiral of some imported items while, at the same time, pressing to raise petroleum

Rajuk projects to come under lensA parliamentary sub-committee is to probe widespread allegations against Rajuk (Rajdhani Unnayan Katripakkha) in its different housing projects including Purbachal, Uttara and Rupnagar.

Norwegian JV buys SoEThree enterprises of Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation (BFIDC) were yesterday sold to a Bangladesh-Nor-wegian joint venture (JV), anticipating those would be profitable under private

10,000 RMG employees to get training in 2 yrsA government-sponsored project started yesterday in Dhaka to train some 10,000 garment sector employees in the next two years to help them face the post-MFA (multi-fibre arrangement ) challenges.

US first time faces WTO approved sanctionsFor the first time, the United States will be hit with trade sanctions approved by the World Trade Organisation because of a fight in Congress over how to restructure $5 billion in corporate tax breaks.

Rian Motors opens new service centreRian Motors Ltd, a sister concern of Rangs Electronics Ltd, yesterday opened a new service centre in Dhaka to provide better service to the customers.

Cricket:Pakistan in finalTariq Mahmood and Fawad Alam helped Pakistan to a comfortable five-wicket win over India in the semifinals of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup here on Sunday.

Football:Russell delay Brothers' partyBrother Union closed in on their maiden league title when they managed a 4-2 win against Arambagh Krira Sangha in the crucial return-leg match of the Western Union Premier Division Football League atthe

Cricket:Aussies made to sweatAustralia, as expected, moved into the Plate final of the Fifth ICC U-19 World Cup with a 49-run win against Ireland in the first semifinal at the MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong yesterday.

Cricket:Kiwis' maiden SA gloryNew Zealand clinched their first series victory over South Africa in any form of cricket when they won a thrilling fifth one-day international by two runs on Sunday.

Cricket:Rain eats up 4th day alsoThe fourth day of the second Test between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh was abandoned without a ball bowled on Sunday because of rain.

Cricket:'Aggression is the key'Former Pakistan cricket great Imran Khan told Pakistani cricketers Sunday to be aggressive and keep up the mental pressure in next month's historic series against India.

Cricket:Zoysa consoles LankaSri Lanka found an unlikely hero in Nuwan Zoysa on their way to a consolation three-wicket victory over an under-strength Australia in the fifth and final one-day international here on Sunday.

Tennis:Dubai Open Henin'sJustine Henin-Hardenne showed much of the wonderfully complete and superbly fluent all round skill which has made her the world's number one player when she became the first to successfully defend a title

Football:Arsenal march onArsenal soared nine points clear at the top of the Premier League on Saturday after beating Charlton Athletic 2-1 while title rivals Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw by Fulham.

Football:Galacticos GunnersRoberto Carlos has hailed Arsenal as the team to fear in Europe and insisted: "They are Galacticos!"

The Brazilian ace reckons the Gunners now have enough world-class stars throughout the team to match

Cricket:BSFNA cricketThe first ever Bangladesh Sports Foundation of North America (BSFNA) Cricket Tournament beings at the Rajshahi College ground today.

Remove controversial members from censor boardBangladesh Film Producers Distributors Association (BFPDA) has launched a non-cooperation movement to press its demand for the removal of controversial members from the film censor board.

Reinstatement of 70 ADAB staff demandedEmployees of the Association of Development Agencies in Bangladesh (ADAB), a coordinating body of no-governmental organisations of Bangladesh, yesterday staged a sit-in in front of its head office demanding

Self-help is the best helpIt is unbelievable. Shaking off social ranks and burying political affiliations, people are cutting earth together with spades to build a dam on self-help basis to protect the Fulchhari upazila headquarters.

5 abducted for ransom in RangamatiGunmen wearing dresses like army kidnapped six road construction workers from remote Bijanondaram hilly area in Sazek union under Baghaichhari upazila on Wednesday night, according to a delayed message

Rangamati fire kills one, injures 15An elderly man was killed and 15 others injured in a devastating fire that also gutted 230 dwellings and shop at a market in remote Rajostholi upazila in the district in the early hours of Sunday, police

All high officials based in Barisal and the planning secretary now on a visit here had to use private vehicles and motor cars.

JP blames ruling partyNilphamari Jatiya Party held a rally on its office premises Saturday evening protesting Friday night's attack on the houses of its central Joint Secretary General Joynal Abed in in town, allegedly byChattra

Humayun Azad: The marked manOnly few days ago a nervous but determined writer, Prof. Humayun Azad, sent e-mail to the moderator of a forum for freethinkers by the name Mukto-Mona. Prof. Azad is a member of the forum.

Media urged to work for welfare of societyTransparency International Bangladesh (TIB) yesterday awarded the Investigative Journalism Award-2003 to three print media journalists for exposing corruption through their investigative reports.

Israel on alert after Gaza strikeIsrael was on high alert yesterday after the killing of three Palestinians in an air strike near Gaza City, as judges ordered a halt to work on a section of the controversial West Bank barrier near Jerusalem.

Buddhist monks plunge into Lanka politicsSri Lanka's Buddhist clergy has advised kings and presidents for centuries, but its decision to field candidates in April's parliamentary vote is causing consternation among politicians and officials.

Iraqi leaders make final push for constitutionIraqi leaders made a last push yesterday to draw up a temporary constitution, a major step on the road to winning back sovereignty, as police and US-led occupation forces suffered new casualties.

Editorial:Common sense takes leaveThe first question to arise from the bedlam in the cantonment area on Saturday is: was it not natural for opposition leader Sheikh Hasina to head for the Combined Military Hospital to see the critically

The fate of Pakistan's bomb!Pakistanis are still trying to catch up with the realities surrounding the country's recent infamy -- peddling of the nuclear secrets indiscriminately without being caught by its ubiquitous intelligence

Nuclear trails and trialsIt is becoming increasingly difficult for Pakistan to distinguish between friend and foe, with even former PM Ms Benazir Bhutto who one would hope would be a friend and as a former PM more of propriety,

Humayun Azad stabbed!I am curious to hear the home minister's explanation for the brutal stabbing of eminent writer Humayun Azad.

Another failed testBangladesh Cricket team arrived in Zimbabwe for two Tests and five ODIs. The small Bangladeshi community was ecstatic. The two teams are ranked 9th and 10th respectively in the world cricket.

A happy birthday!In the recent years, all of the Bengali dailies have started publishing one new variety of advertisement. It is "Birthday Wishes".

Alcoholic drinkThere are certain drinks available in the country which contain alcohol, but the producers do not admit the truth openly.

Alcoholic drink is doing harm to the people of our country.

AIDS and some thoughtsThe biggest challenge, the world has ever faced is AIDS. This killer disease is spreading at an alarming rate. The world leaders have met many times to take some measures regarding AIDS.

Old men and womenMost men and women over 60 years of age who are suffering from diabetes, heart ailment, cancer, blood pressure, kidney trouble or any other incurable disease are not waiting and counting their days for

An unusual movieBachelor is undoubtedly an extra-ordinary creation. Otherwise, people would not have thought so much about this movie. Mr.

Independence of JudiciaryBangladesh is a third world country but specialists have opined that we have prospects to alleviate our stature if proper decisions are taken in the policy-making level and these decisions are properly

GrameenPhoneIt has been almost a year that the call-charges for all other GP packages have been reduced to some extent but what happened to "Easy Pre-paid" subscribers who are still paying Tk.6.

MCCI to look after three parks, a road islandThe Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) will hand over three parks and a road island for maintenance and beautification to the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) by the first week of March.

Dhaka's free TV channels not 'free' in KolkataKolkata cable operators bar Dhaka-based satellite television channels from going on air there despite a growing demand for Bangladeshi programmes among Bangla-speaking people in the capital of West Bengal.

Most kabiraj still lack medical educationThey claim to be healers of all possible ailments people suffer from. Their business stretch from the pavements to high society homes. They are known as the kabiraj or hekim.